Here's a recipe I made when I had some leftover ham at Christmas. Delicious and so easy! 3 cups frozen hash browns, thawed2 cups cubed ham8 oz. shredded Swiss cheese10 eggs1/2 cup milk2 tablespoons minced onion2 tablespoons whole grain mustard1/2 teaspoon ground black pepperSpray large crock pot with cooking spray. Place hash browns on the bottom. Then layer the ham and cheese. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, onion, mustard, and black pepper until well mixed. Pour over ham and cheese. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours until eggs are set. Serves 6-8.Click here for a printable version of this recipe.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Press one half of pie dough into the bottom and sides of a greased 2-quart baking dish. For gravy, melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour and cook until mixture thickens &amp; bubbles. Gradually stir in chicken broth, salt, pepper, and spices. Cook until thickened. In bottom of baking dish, layer half of chicken, sausage, bacon and top with remaining chicken. Pour gravy over meat. Top with remaining rolled-out pie crust. Trim and crimp edges. Cut slits in top for steam to escape. Bake 1 1/2 hours. Combine egg yolk with water and brush over top of crust. Bake 5 minutes more. Makes 8 servings.

Here's an old family favorite for the holidays. Enjoy!2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2" chunkswater1/3 cup butter3/4 cups brown sugar1 cup pecan halves1 teaspoon cinnamon1/2 teaspoon salt1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper2-3 cups miniature marshmallowsIn a large saucepan, cover sweet potato chunks with water. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 5-7 minutes until slightly tender. Drain and place in a greased baking dish.Top with slices of butter. Sprinkle with brown sugar, pecans, cinnamon, salt, and pepper. Top with marshmallows. Bake in preheated 375 degree oven until marshmallows are golden brown, about 15-20 minutes. Serves 6-8.Click here for a printable version of this recipe.

Turn dough onto lightly floured board and knead 5-8 minutes, adding remaining flour as needed to make dough smooth and elastic. Knead in reserved fruit mixture, 1/3 cup at a time. Shape into a ball and place in greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover and let rise until double, about 1 hour.

Punch dough down on floured surface and divide in half. Roll each into 8X14 oval. Roll the marzipan into a rope and place in the center of the dough. Fold the dough over to cover it; pinch the seams together to seal. Place the loaf, seam side down, on a lightly greased 15X10 baking sheet. Brush with 1 tablespoon melted butter. Let loaves rise for 30-45 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake 25-30 minutes until golden brown and sounds hollow when lightly tapped. Transfer to wire racks and cool. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.Makes 2 loaves.

Rose McCauley has been writing for over a decade and has five books published. A retired
schoolteacher who has been happily married to her college sweetheart for over
forty years, she enjoys their growing family of three children and their
spouses and five lovely, lively grandkids! She loves to hear from her readers.
You can reach her through her website www.rosemccauley.com

Rose's latest book release: Christmastide at Bald
Head Island

Literature weaves its way through the hearts of the Jordan
family women. Matriarch, Grace Jordan, has a particular affinity for William Shakespeare.
Just as his play, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, spins a tale of the planning of
one wedding but ends with three ceremonies, Grace and her two daughters,
Rosalind and Miranda, discover rekindled love while planning Rosalind's
daughter, Jane Anne's Christmas wedding. In a twist of fate, ceremony plans
change. However, just like Elizabeth Bennett and Anne Shirley from Jane Austen
and Lucy Montgomery's respective classic tales, all four Jordan women discover
what—and who—will make them truly happy

In a food processor, combine all of the ingredients and pulse until it forms a ball when mixed. Transfer to a small serving bowl or form into a ball. Cover with plastic wrap and store in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Makes 1 1/2 cups.Click here for a printable version of this recipe.

Heat oil in dutch oven and sear meat on all sides. Remove meat and season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside. In dutch oven saute onion until transparent. Add tomato sauce, red wine, brown sugar, wine vinegar, garlic, bay leaf, and cumin. Stir together and add water. Bring to a slow boil. Return meat to dutch oven. Cover and simmer for 2-3 hours, until tender. Add more water as needed. Add vegetables. Cover and simmer another 30-40 minutes until potatoes and carrots are tender. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve. Serves 6-8.

Here's a recipe I made for the first time last Christmas and absolutely LOVED. It makes 4 small loaves, so I kept one for myself and gave the rest as gifts, which were received with glad reception. It seems, even those who don't care for fruitcake, enjoy this recipe! Yay!

Here's to Fruitcake!!

2 cups dried cranberries

1/2 cup dried chopped pineapple

1/2 cup chopped dates

1/2 cup chopped figs

1/2 cup chopped golden raisins

1/2 cup rum

10 oz. candied red and green cherries, chopped

1 cup salted butter

2 cups sugar

1/4 teaspoon Fiori di Sicilia (This stuff is amazing...buy some today. It lasts a long time.)

4 eggs

3 3/4 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup orange juice

2 cups chopped pecans

Glaze:

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup orange juice

3 tablespoons rum

To prepare the fruit, in a large bowl, mix cranberries, pineapple, dates, figs, and raisins with the rum. Microwave on high for 1-2 minutes. Stir and set aside to cool.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Lightly grease 4 small loaf pans. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Add Fiori di Sicilia and eggs, beating one-at-a-time. In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to egg mixture alternately with juice. Add to this the undrained fruit, candied cherries, and pecans. Spoon the batter into each loaf pan, filling about three-quarters full. Bake for 45-55 minutes until cakes are golden brown at the edges and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool for 10 minutes, and then turn out onto a wire rack.

While the cakes are baking, prepare the glaze in a small bowl. Combine sugar, orange juice, and rum, stirring often until sugar has dissolved. Brush the tops of the warm cakes with a coat of glaze on the tops and sides. When the cakes have completely cooled, wrap in plastic wrap and allow to rest for 24 hours before serving or giving as gifts to let the flavors fully blend. May refrigerate cakes for up to a month--but if they last that long, brush with sugar syrup or rum weekly before serving. Makes 4 small loaves.

WELCOME

Thanks for visiting Country at Heart Recipes. Deborah Vogts is a contemporary inspirational fiction author, but she also loves to cook. Here you'll find a vast collection of Deborah's favorite family recipes. Spend some time and look around. New recipes are added every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.